A noun formed by adding -ing to the verb-stem is known as what?

• A. Gerund
• B. Participle
• C. Infinitive
• D. Noun

Answer: (A)

An -ing form that functions as a noun is called a gerund. It’s created by adding -ing to the verb stem and then using that form as a noun in a sentence. For example, in “Swimming is fun,” the word swimming acts as the subject, so it’s a gerund. The same -ing form can also be the object of a verb, as in “I enjoy running.”

The -ing form can also appear as a present participle when it describes a noun or helps form verb tenses (like “running water” or “She is running”), but when its job is to act as a noun, that form is specifically a gerund. This distinguishes it from an infinitive, which uses “to” plus the verb (to swim), and from simply naming something as a noun, which isn’t defined by being formed with -ing.